Sakura's Dream
by Emma Sarah
Summary: Sakura has just moved to Harvest Village and falls head-over-heels in love with the Doctor! But does older, more serious Doctor feel the same way? (I'm currently editing the story, so expect all of those mean spelling errors to disappear.)
1. Moving In

Sakura's Dream

Chapter1 Moving In

"What an adorable town!" Sakura giggled as she looked out the plane at a small, coastal town known as Harvest Village. She, her mother, and her father were moving there because her father, a botanist, got a new job running the town seed shop.  
"Isn't it?" exclaimed her plant-crazy dad. "There are a lot of new plant species there you can't find in the city, too, like the-" the poor botanist was cut off by his wife.  
"Can we PLEASE talk about something else? I have a headache right now and don't want to talk about icky plants," said Sakura's beautiful mom, rubbing her temples.  
"I'm interested, Papa! Tell me about the plants there," said Sakura excitedly. She loved plants, but mostly flowers. Her father smiled at her, proud to have raised a daughter who had such similar interests as he. The man cleared his throat and began to speak.  
"Well, one I know you'll like is called the Sakura's Dream flower. We named you after that flower, by the way. Anyways, it's an extremely rare flower that only blooms at the top of the Green Mountains, the local mountain range next to Harvest Village. It has a sparkling pink color and is said to bloom only when two lovers embrace each other under a full moon," explained Sakura's dad.  
"Wow...that's so romantic..." Sakura blushed, fantasizing about seeing the flower, and even more, about having a boyfriend. "I wonder if I'll ever be able to see a Sakura's Dream?" she thought, staring out the window into the small green town. Slowly the small plane landed onto the sandy shores of the small village.  
"Attention passengers, we have arrived at our destination. Thank you for choosing QuickSilver Airways and enjoy your stay!" said a flight attendant over the airplane's intercom. Sakura, followed by her dad and mom, exited the plane. A soft wind blew across the sandy beach as the family made their way across and up the sand-covered steps to the town square. The square, made of reddish-colored tiles, had cherry blossom trees all around the ends, giving it a nice, secluded feeling; even though it was in the middle of the village. A cherry blossom fell from the trees and landed in Sakura's hand. She placed the flower behind her ear and looked up at her dad, smiling as rays of sun glowed on golden hair. Her dad smiled back at her, and then the family continued their walk towards the seed shop. They arrived at a building with a green roof. The windows were boarded up, and a blank sign stood in front of the cozy building.  
"What should we call the shop, Ryo?" asked Sakura's mom. Her model- like body teetered in curiosity.  
"Lets call it 'Twin Lilies,' named after my two beautiful flowers!" said Ryo, beaming at his wife and daughter. The two beauties grinned as their golden hair sparkled.  
"We can agree to that!" they both said in unison. After labeling the sign in bold green letters the family un-boarded the house and set to work. Ryo and the movers unloaded the furniture. Haruna, which was the first name of Sakura's mom, swept and dusted the house. Sakura planted a small garden in the front of the shop and began watering the seeds. After a little while a girl in a red dress walked by.  
"Oh, hi there! You must be the family who just moved here, right?" she asked. Sakura got up and brushed tiny dirt specks off her pink dress.  
"Yeah, we are. I'm Sakura! It's nice to meet you!" Sakura greeted cheerfully. The girl in the red dress giggled and smiled sweetly.  
"I'm Popuri! My family and I run the poultry farm. Pleased to meet'cha!" Popuri smiled, shaking her hand. She then smacked her forehead. "Oh! D-uh! Since your new, you prolly don't know anyone, huh?" Sakura shook her head and looked away nervously. "Well, how about I introduce you to everybody? I like to keep abreast on the latest gossip, and I'm sure you do too!" she smiled. Sakura beamed and hooked a yellow strand of hair behind her ear.  
"Yeah, that'd be great! My parents won't know I'm gone; they're too busy cleaning the house. Let's go!" she agreed. Both teens smiled and walked off, their dresses trying to keep up with the pace. Popuri showed Sakura the Inn, the Poultry Farm, the Supermarket, and lastly, the Clinic. Suddenly Popuri's pink Mickey Mouse watch beeped.  
"Eek! It's noon! Sorry Sakura, but I have to go feed the chickens! I'll see you later!" Popuri waved before running off, stumbling on her dress and muttering, "Dumb dress." Sakura laughed and waved goodbye. She then walked into the town square. Looking down the sandy steps to the beach, Sakura noticed a sparking object in the sand.  
"What could that be...?" she asked herself, running down the steps. She slipped, twisting her ankle and falling in the sand with a scream. "Ow! I can't get up..." she squeaked, lying in the warm sand. Her eyes watered as she began to cry. Suddenly, she heard feet shuffle towards her, and then strong arms picking her up.  
"Don't worry, your safe now. Poor thing..." said a handsome man in a white doctor's coat. Sakura, shocked, eased into a weak smile.  
"Thanks for your help..." she said in pain. Her golden hair and sand-covered dress dangled in the air as the man in the white doctor's coat walked over to a bench in the town square, gently laying her down. He then examined her ankle and wrapped it expertly with a white bandage, then massaged the muscle. The once twisted muscle relaxed and slowly felt better. The man then stood up and looked at the sandy girl.  
"You should be okay now. Just try to take it easy and not do any work for awhile," he instructed. Sakura stood up and blushed, her beautiful blue eyes glittering.  
"Thank you very much..." she said sincerely, clasping her hands together and looking down at her feet. The man, taken aback, turnedred.

"Uh...would you like me to carry you back to your residence?" he asked.  
"I'd like that a lot..." Sakura smiled. She snuggled up in his arms as they walked back to the Twin Lilies. When they passed the poultry farm Popuri was bending down, feeding clucking chickens. She than saw the man with the doctor's coat walk by, and Sakura in his arms. Popuri and Sakura both grinned as Popuri mouthed, "OH-MY-GOD!" When they reached the Twin Lilies the man let Sakura down. She smiled and looked up at him.  
"Thanks for all your help again. Oh, I'm Sakura. I just moved here..." she blushed. The man nodded.  
"I'm the doctor of Harvest Village, but you can call me Tim. Be more careful from now on, okay?" he said, trying not to sound worried. Sakura nodded up at him and smiled.  
"Okay! Bye, Tim!" she waved before bursting through the door.  
"You seem awfully happy," smiled Haruna as she dusted a cobweb.  
"Yeah! I really am looking forward to living here..." Sakura said, daydreaming of the events that had happened that day.


	2. Rivals

Sakura's Dream  
  
Chapter 2 Rivals  
  
"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" beeped Sakura's pink alarm clock. It had been two days since the family moved to Harvest Village, and the furniture was already loaded and arranged in the house. Sakura had been particularly excited because her room was on the second floor and had a large window, letting her look out over the street.  
"Ugh...shut up you stupid clock!" she groaned, mashing the STOP button. Sakura slowly got out of bed and looked out the window. Golden rays of sun streamed in as bluebirds chirped on her windowsill. "It's like a fairytale, isn't it?" she asked herself, smiling. She walked over to her clothes cabinet and pulled out a traditional kimono that she had gotten when she visited Japan. She also pulled out a pink ribbon decorated with cherry blossoms, which she used to tie her hair in a perfect ponytail. The now dressed girl left her room and walked downstairs into the kitchen, where breakfast was waiting.  
"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," Ryo greeted. Sakura smiled and sat down, looking over to her mom.  
"What's for breakfast?" she yawned loudly. Haruna set down a plate in front of her filled with pancakes and scrambled eggs.  
"Enjoy!" she exclaimed excitedly.  
"Thanks Mom!" Sakura said, practically pouncing on her breakfast. After she finished Sakura heard the store door open. "Oh, I'll get it," she said, motioning Ryo to sit down. Sakura walked through the back door and was shocked to find Tim waiting at the counter.  
"O-oh! T-Tim! Can I help you?" she stammered, trying to ease  
into a smile. Tim  
looked up at her.  
"Oh, hey there. How's that ankle doing?" he asked. Sakura blushed and said a little "It's okay..." Tim smiled and sighed. "Good. Anyways, I'd like to buy a bag of violet seeds, please," he said, giving her 500G.  
"You like flowers too?!" exclaimed Sakura. Tim looked embarrassed as his face turned red.  
"It's strictly f-for m-medical pur..." he was cut of by Sakura.  
"I love flowers too! I'm glad that your so secure with your masculinity. Most guys would have made up some dumb purpose like 'It's for work' or something," she smiled. Tim sighed, glad that Sakura hadn't have let him finish his sentence. She handed him a small purple colored bag. "Thanks, come again!" she waved cheerfully. Tim nodded and left the shop.  
  
"I can't believe you found a boyfriend so fast!" Popuri squealed. The girls where in Popuri's room. It was lavishly decorated with fluffy animals and small toys. Sakura sat on the carpet while Popuri towered above her on her bed, braiding Sakura's hair.  
"He's not my boyfriend. But he is really nice..." Sakura blushed, putting her hand to her cheek. Popuri grinned as she laced a blue ribbon through Sakura's hair.  
"He SO digs you! I mean, he even told you his first name! Not even Elli knows his first name!" Popuri assured. Sakura instantly faced Popuri.  
  
"Elli?! He already has a girlfriend?!" she raged.  
"Eeeks! Your scary when your angry..." Popuri whimpered. She took a slow breath and began to explain. "Well, Elli has a HUGE crush on him, but he's totally unaware of it. If you really want him, you'll have to fight for his affection. Then again, it won't be hard for you to charm him. Heck, he's already spilled his name to you," she said thoughtfully, biting her tongue. Sakura thought for a second.  
"I dunno, I really don't want to become this slutty boyfriend stealer. Are there any other guys available?"  
"Well, yeah, but they also have girls who like them. Oh, the guys are having a swim meet today. This would be a good time to meet them all at once, you know," brainstormed Popuri. Sakura smiled and instantly approved.  
  
After about a half hour of getting ready both girls headed for the beach. It was particularly hot that day, which was unusual for Spring. Soon they arrived at their destination (Sakura was particularly careful about walking down the notorious sandy steps). She wore a pink bikini, a long red sash tied around her waist, a pair of sandals decorated with small flowers, and a cherry blossom tucked behind her ear. Popuri, at her immediate right, wore a blue and white sundress, a yellow sunhat, and a pair of blue flip- flops. Everyone stared at the duo, particularly Sakura.  
"Hey who's that new girl?" someone asked.  
"She's cute!" said another.  
"I hear she just moved to Harvest Village," said a third person.  
"Ahem, hello, my dear. You must be Sakura Tamaya, correct?" asked a man's voice.  
"Who, me?" she asked, looking around. She then looked down and screamed. "It's a floating red hat!" she shrieked, beating it over the head with one of her sandals.  
"Ow! I'm not a demon hat! I'm the Mayor!" yelled the floating red hat. The voice's body took of the hat, revealing itself to be a man.  
"O-oh! You startled me..." she said, embarrassed. Everyone began to laugh, except for one person: Tim.  
"Hey, guys, calm down. The Mayor does appear to be a floating hat when you first meet him," Tim defended. The crowd, feeling bad, quickly quieted down. Sakura looked over in Tim's direction and blushed, mouthing a "Thank you."  
"Well, anywho, it's quite alright. I forgive you..." the Mayor nodded. Slowly the crowd began to separate, doing their own things. Sakura and Popuri headed towards a group of two guys and three girls. One of the boys had messy brown hair and looked like a bum. Next to him were a blond girl and a red-head with a braided ponytail. Standing across from them was the other boy wearing a blue cap and a girl wearing glasses.  
"Excuse me, but I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Sakura," introduced Popuri. "Sakura this is Mary, Grey, Cliff, Shellie, and Ann. Everyone, this is Sakura." The group all smiled at the new girl and said hi. Sakura returned the greeting and soon they were all talking like old friends. After a while Popuri pulled Sakura away and introduced her to everyone else. Everyone seemed enchanted with the charming young woman. Suddenly, the intercom boomed through the area.  
"Attention beach-goers, the swimming race will now begin! All participants, please go to the starting line," announced the Mayor over the intercom. All the girls whistled while the men stripped down to their trunks. Rick, Popuri's brother, was the flag boy.  
"1...2...3...GO!!!" yelled Rick as he waved a green flag. The swimmers zoomed off with incredible speed and grace. The leaders were Tim and Kai, Popuri's flirty boyfriend, followed by Cliff and Grey.  
"Go Doctor, go!" cheered a brown haired girl. Sakura looked over at her and instantly knew it was Elli.  
"Grr..." Sakura growled. "GO TIM,GO!! YOU CAN DO IT!!" she screamed, snatching Popuri's sunhat and waving it in the air. Elli looked over at her, astonished and a bit jealous.  
"He...he told you his first name?" she asked. Sakura smiled and nodded, then winked at the jealous nurse. Elli cursed under her breath and gritted her teeth.  
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO TIIIIIIIIIIMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!" screamed both girls in unison. Their cheers droned out everyone else's as they tried to surpass the other girl's. Tim, still neck n' neck with Kai, blushed. Kai scowled, jealous of all his attention. With a bug burst of morale, Tim zoomed past Kai, winning the race.  
"YEAH! IN YOUR FACE!" yelled both Sakura and Elli, pointing in each other's face.  
"C-calm down now ladies. It was only a f-friendly race..." said the Mayor nervously.  
"Yeah, chill. After all, it is only the DOCTOR we're talking about. Not Brad Pitt. Besides, who wants him when you can have me?" said the returning loser Kai as he brushed up against Sakura.  
"Ewwww!! Creep! Tim is WAY cuter then you'll ever be!" Sakura defended. Quiet Tim turned beet red.  
"O-okay, simmer down. It's just a friendly race. You did do a good job, Kai," said Tim honorably, holding out his hand. Kai looked at it with disgust, then spat on in. Everyone gasped at Kai's horrible offense.  
"Why you...!" screamed Sakura, raising her hand, about to slap him. Shellie, the blond girl, jutted forward, punching Kai in the face.  
"...horrible, disgusting, jerk!" shouted Shellie, finishing Sakura's sentence. A low murmur went through the crowd.  
"That's Shellie for ya!" cheered one person.  
"'Member when she punched Karen in the face?" said another.  
"Which time? She did it like three times!" laughed yet another person. Sakura stared at amazement at Shellie.  
"Sorry Kai's such a jerk. He's tried perverted things with me, too!" said Shellie, rolling her eyes. Sakura smiled and laughed elegantly.  
"Go you! That was too funny!" she grinned, giving the rambunctious blond a high-five.  
"Kai! We are having a LOOOONG talk, mister!" screamed Popuri angrily, dragging the pervert off.  
"Um...thanks..." said Tim awkwardly to Sakura. She smiled, looking up at him. Her blue eyes sparkled in the noon sun.  
"It's nothing. You should really thank Shellie here. She was the one who punched Kai's face in!" said Sakura. Shellie scratched her head and grinned. After saying goodbye to Tim and her new friend Shellie, Sakura walked back to the Twin Lilies.  
"Life here should be p-retty interesting..." she said to herself, smiling. 


	3. True Emotions

Sakura's Dream  
  
Chapter 3   
  
The golden rays of sun that usually covered Harvest Village were hidden as Sakura walked down the red cobblestone streets. Fog from the morning had drifted in from the beach, and a feeling of sleepiness engulfed everything in site.  
"Wow...It sure can be dull here..." Sakura sighed, starting to feel some doubt regarding her new surroundings. Her striped red and white sundress fell at her calves as she strolled.  
"Oh, thank you very much Nurse Burchton. With this herb I might be able to make at least five Turbojolt medicines," said Tim. Sakura jumped and hid behind a streetlight and a clump of bushes. She peered over the shrubbery, her blond hair dangling with curiosity.  
"That sounded like Tim's voice! But who's this Nurse Burchwhatever?" she thought. She could see the Clinic not too far off. Tim, who could not be mistaken due to his white lab coat, and a girl who she presumed to be Elli due to the familiar nurse dress, were standing idly. Tim was holding a clump of green herbs, which Sakura recognized because Ryo picked them often.  
"I-it's nothing. As long as I can help you, I'm content..." Elli blushed, looking away and teetering on her toes bashfully.  
"S-she's totally putting the flirt on him!" gasped Sakura with her hand over her mouth. "That overly cutesy nurse...!" she clenched her right fist as it shook.  
"Well, I greatly appreciate that," Tim said professionally, easily keeping his cool. The two medical workers then walked inside, leaving the hidden Sakura alone by the turned off streetlight. She walked to the town square and sat down on a redwood bench, legs crossed and deep in thought.  
"Lesse...I can't let Elli or Nurse Burchbutt or whatever her name is to take Tim. What does he like...?" she held her head in her left palm as she thought. "Oh, duh! Herbs! Whoa, this works out great! Dad can help me find some rare herbs, and then maybe Tim will pick me instead of Elli!" Sakura exclaimed, riled up. "Oh...but Elli really doesn't deserve to get hurt...Oh well, all's fair in love and war," she sighed.  
  
When she returned to the Twin Lilies Ryo and Haruna were both sitting down at the oaken dining room table. A small yellow board with white and black stones were placed in various parts of the board. The black stones held seniority, surrounding the majority of white stones.  
"Ha ha! I got you surrounded, Haruna! Go Ryo, go Ryo!" laughed her dad boyishly, moving a black stone across the board. Haruna wore a tired but aggressive expression.  
"I'm not going down so easily!" she declared, even though she was getting completely thrashed. Sakura rolled her eyes, embarrassed at how lame her parents sounded.  
"Jeez guys, it's only a game," she commented with a hint of annoyance. "Oh, dad, I need your help finding..." Sakura was cut off by a male customer in the sales room.  
"Hello? Aren't you guys open?" the smooth voice questioned.  
"I'll get him," Sakura sighed, knowing her war strategist parents were too absorbed in their game to pay attention to anything except the small board. She walked through the back door to find smooth, smug, tan- clad Kai standing in front of the counter. She almost threw up her breakfast right then and there.  
"Hey Sakura, I didn't know you ran this store! That's pretty hot," Kai grinned, looking at the various flowers and perfumes that the small seed shop sold for extra cash. The young saleswoman rolled her eyes in response.  
"Did you come here to hit on me or to buy something?" she snapped, hands on her hips. The bandana-headed Kai ignored her, simply walking around, browsing the merchandise.  
"Y'see, I need something for Popuri, y'know? It has to be fragrant, and have the right color and the right texture," explained Kai.  
"Oh, your shopping for flowers?! That's so sweet! I really don't think the texture matters, since they all are relatively soft, but we have a huge selection of species, colors, and fragrances. What kind are you interested in? Roses, violets, carnations?" she suggested enthusiastically. Kai grinned, shining his almost too-bright teeth.  
"No no, not flowers, but something that she can use to enjoy herself when she has an...urge," he grinned pervertedly, clearly not talking about flowers. "Like a...you know..." he leaned over, whispering name of the adult item into her ear. Sakura turned pale white for a moment, but her anger rose to boiling heat-red.  
"WE DON'T SELL THOSE AT A FLOWER SHOP! GET OUT!!" she screamed, practically blowing out Kai's eardrums.  
"Ow! What the hell are ya tryin' to do?! Make me deaf?!" Kai retorted angrily before he left the shop, his tanned hands over his throbbing ears. Sakura gritted her teeth angrily as she thought about torturing Kai in various ways.  
"How dare he come here shopping for those! What kind of seed shop sells that sort of merchandise?!" she fumed. "Ack! Mom and dad probably heard me screaming at Kai! They'll be angry that I sent a customer away! What'll I do?!" Sakura whimpered as she walked back through the back door into the kitchen. "Y-you've got to be kidding me..." she said blankly. Her parents were still staring at the same board, moving the same microscopic stones around. This time the white stones had surrounded the black stones.  
"See?! I told you I'd get the advantage! Go Haruna, go Haruna!" cheered Haruna childishly as Ryo looked like the world was over.  
"N-n-no!! I'll have my revenge!" he groaned. Sakura picked up a game box that was apparently what her parents stored it in when they weren't playing it.  
"GO, The Legendary Asian Strategy Game, This game originates from ancient Asia, where normal people become military strategists and battle to secure surrounding areas using black and white stones. This game takes 2 to 4 hours to play," she read all across the box. "Wait... '2 to 4 hours to play'?! They'll be at it forever! Ugh...I guess I'll have to gather the herbs on my own," she groaned, imagining herself scaling the whole Green Mountains for hours.  
  
After navigating through town using one of Ryo's maps that he got from Mayor Thomas, Sakura was able to find the entrance to the mountain range. It had been the first time she had ever been there, and she quickly fell in love with the beautiful wildlife. Majestic oak trees were everywhere, and the velvety green grass grew healthily under her feet. Wildflowers dotted the scenic area, and the whole mountains themselves seemed to all be part of a lovely painting. "It's so beautiful..." Sakura blushed, humbled by her gorgeous surroundings. After gazing in awe for a few minutes, she regained control of herself and decided to continue. "I need to keep a straight head. It's already noon, and it'll probably take all day to gather a fair amount of herbs, so I better hurry!" she nodded to herself and started up the thick, luscious path. It took her about one hour to find her first herb. "Jeez! I've only found one herb, and it's already one o'clock!" she exclaimed, listening to the distant chime of the town clock tower as the new hour approached. She put the green herb in her apron pocket and continued. It was two more hours before she found the next one, and one more before she found the next herb. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! "...Five chimes. So it's already five o'clock, and I've only gathered three herbs..." she sighed, disappointed. "Well, I'd better head back," she decided quietly. Fifteen minutes later, she was lost. "W-where am I?! I followed the main path all the way to the summit! Did I stray off it?!" she asked herself, her eyes shining nervously. All the elegant trees seemed to mold together into one big bubble, as if to keep her trapped forever. She looked up at the orange sky. The sun was setting, and the main path was still nowhere to be found. A wolf howled far off, making Sakura yelp with fright. "N-n-noooo! I'm gonna be trapped here and get eaten by wolves!" she broke down and wailed, falling to her knees with her palms against her face as she choked on her on salty tears.  
"Sakura! Are you alright?!" exclaimed a familiar voice that she loved.  
"Great...Now I'm hearing voices! I'm delirious...!" she thought, still crying. A man in a white doctor's coat rushed to her side.  
"Snap out of it! Everything will be okay!" said the voice again. Sakura, hands over her eyes and crying, shook her head.  
"I'm going crazy! I'm going crazy!" the girl trembled, scared. Suddenly, big arms wrapped around her, enveloping and holding her close. "Huh?...So warm..." she thought peacefully, "I feel safe..."  
"Don't be scared. It's all right," the voice assured gently. Sakura opened her eyes, and looking down at her was Tim. He seemed to be having a hard time with trying to act professional or to show his true feelings, although his emotions had obviously won.  
"Oh, Tim..." Sakura gasped. All of a sudden, like a mirror shattering in her mind, she realized everything that had happened on the hike all over again; walking for hours, getting lost, being threatened by the wolf, but this time she didn't need to go through it alone, because Tim was with her, consoling her. "I...was scaaaaaaared!" she wailed, sobbing into his chest.  
"It's all right, your safe now. I won't let anyone harm you," Tim consoled gently, still holding her close.  
"He revealed his true nature to me...He's so gentle..." Sakura thought, smiling to herself. Tim looked down at the blond head, and his face turned red as he sighed contently.  
"You've seemed to have stopped shaking now. Are you alright?" he asked, letting go of her softly. Sakura blushed, inching back a little to give him his space.  
"Yeah, I am. I was looking for herbs for hours, but I could find only a few scattered over the mountain..." she sighed, thinking about the measly amount of herbs she gathered. Tim's face lit up, quite surprised.  
"Oh, I know some great herb spots! Er...I mean...I collect them often. Would you like me to show you some ideal spots tomorrow? It's already almost dark now," offered Tim. He was finally able to hide behind his professional mask again, but for those few heavenly minutes he held her in his arms had revealed to her his true feelings.  
"Thanks, that'd really be helpful!" she smiled, accepting his offer. Tim nodded seriously.  
"Very well. Um...please let me lead you back to Harvest Village. I wouldn't want you to get lost again..." his words tumbled over each other nervously. Sakura nodded, beaming.  
"I'd like that very much..." she giggled, blushing. Tim nodded, and his whole figure seemed to relax before led her to the main path. They then walked down the path together, silent. Sakura looked away and searched blindly for Tim's hand. She smiled when it enthusiastically greeted her's, engulfing it in warmth as the two walked back together on the long journey back to Harvest Village. 


	4. What's a Cherry Blossom Festival?

Sakura's Dream  
  
Chapter 4 What's a Cherry Blossom Festival?!  
  
"That's soooo romantic!" Popuri squealed. Her curly pink hair floated in the air momentarily before falling back to her shoulders as she jumped on her fluffy bed enthusiastically. Sakura's cheeks turned a light pink as she looked away, twisting a blond curl around her finger.  
"You really think so?" she asked a bit too bashful then she would have liked to let on.  
"Yeah, totally! I mean, he embraces you in his arms and comforts you as the setting sun frames your faces, then holds your hand as he leads you down the mountain to safety!" Popuri mused in a heroic tone.  
"Well...it's not like I'm that special. I mean, Elli is nice, and she LIVES with him after all..." Sakura sighed in an uncharacteristically way. Her hyper friend shook her head frigidly.  
"Uh-uh. He digs you, trust me. I don't think Tim has ever even held her hand before. It's really kind of sad. He's totally unaware of how much she likes him," Popuri sighed. "...But, that means that it'll be easier for you to steal him away from her!" she finished, winking mischievously.  
"You really aren't portraying yourself in your best light," Sakura commented as Popuri cackled evilly. "Oh, speaking of bad behavior, how is Kai doing? Have you set the pervert straight?" she asked. Popuri stopped cackling and rolled her eyes.  
"No. It's unfair that you get Mr. Strong-Heroic-Romantic while I'm stuck with Kai. I really do love him, but his snide comments and flirty nature are just too much for a girl to handle. He said he'd take me to the Cherry Blossom Festival. The problem is, he'll probably be making out with every other girl their, too," Popuri shrugged and sighed.  
"The Cherry Blossom Festival? What's that?" Sakura asked, tilting her head in curiosity. Popuri's jaw dropped in amazement.  
  
"You've never heard of the Cherry Blossom Festival? Doesn't every village have one?...Oh, duh! You're a city slicker. Even so, it's still kinda hard to miss the flyers being advertised everywhere around town," Popuri choked back laughter, hitting herself firmly in the chest.  
"You still haven't answered my question," Sakura mumbled as she looked down at her feet, embarrassed.  
"The Cherry Blossom Festival is a festival that takes place on the 22nd day of Spring. Two weeks before the 22nd day, villagers are given the chance to vote on their favorite girl in the village at the Harvest Square. But, there are restrictions. The girl has to be within the age range of 15- 17, and none of the girls who are in that age range may vote," explained Popuri, "So...you, Karen, Mary, Ann, Elli, Shellie and I are the candidates."  
  
"Candidates for what?" asked Sakura.  
"Boy, you really live under a rock, don't you? They're the candidates to be the next Goddess! Well, not the Goddess herself, but the girl who received the most votes from all of the voters gets to dress up in the Goddess Costume at the Festival. Guys usually ask their girlfriends out to it, and it gives a guy pride if his girlfriend is the Goddess that year," Popuri finished explaining, panting for air after the long speech.  
"Wow...that sounds fun. Say, Popuri, have you ever been the Goddess?" asked Sakura, feeling like a first grade student. Popuri's face scrunched up in self-resentment.  
"No, I haven't..." she confessed. "But, not being chosen isn't that bad either. You still get to dress up in a pretty costume and give flowers to passersby," she shrugged.  
"That does sound fun!" smiled Sakura, her eyes shining. "I wonder who Tim will vote for?" she asked, expecting no answer from her best friend.  
"Tim never votes. He doesn't seem to care," said Popuri's older brother Rick carelessly. He strolled in and snatched a green notebook of Popuri's desk. "I need to borrow your math notes," he winked. Popuri's brow arched to dangerous levels as her face turned crimson.  
"How dare you just come strollin' in here and steal my homework, jerk!" she shouted angrily.  
"That's what you get for leaving the door open, stupid!" Rick retorted as he walked out, pointing to the wide open door that stood there dumbly. A vein in Popuri's forehead pulsed as her fist shook.  
"Grrr...he makes me so mad sometimes...! Oh...sorry, I wasn't going to tell you 'cause I knew it'd disappoint you, but nobody has ever seen Tim vote..." Popuri's expression changed from rage to apathetically sympathetic.  
"Oh...OK. That's fine, I don't care," Sakura lied and smiled, trying to mask her disappointment but failing miserably.  
  
Sakura sighed as she left Popuri's house and left their cozy, chicken- filled yard. "Tim never votes, huh? I wonder who will win? Probably Karen...she's quite pretty," Sakura sighed, her blond hair swaying gracefully in the wind. As she continued to think, instead of walking back to the Twin Lilies she somehow managed to stroll close to the Harvest Square. "Wait...why am I in Harvest Square? Did I walk off like a zombie here or something?" she thought, a sweat drop trickling down her cheek in embarrassment. "Oh...I bet the voting box is still here. After all, it is only the 19th day of Spring," she remembered, walking over to a small fold out table in the corner of the square. The table had a white cloth draped over it to conceal it's cheapness. On it was a small wooden box that had a tiny slit in it for ballots to enter through. Next to the box was a sheet of parchment that read the following: "This is the official voting box for the Cherry Blossom Festival. Vote for the girl of your choice by writing her name on one of the ballots provided. The candidates for Goddess are MARY, POPURI, ANN, ELLI, KAREN, SHELLIE, and SAKURA. If you are a candidate for Goddess, please do not vote." Sakura examined the paper for a minute before putting it down.  
"Hey, are you voting, Miss Sakura? Please don't cheat, you have both of our votes!" said a cute little voice from behind. Sakura turned around and found eight year olds Stu and May standing in front of her.  
"Yeah, Stu's right!" May agreed, green mucus dribbling down her adorable doll-like nose. Sakura smiled at the two little heads and shook hers "no." The innocent interrogators released a sigh.  
"Don't worry, I'm not voting. I've never been to the Festival before though, so I was just interested in seeing the voting system," Sakura assured.  
"Oh, okie-dokey!" said the plump little heads in unison before scurrying off. Sakura smiled at the fading little forms and started to leave. As she crossed the square she bumped into someone, sending here to the soft cobblestone ground.  
"Ouch!" she whimpered, rubbing her butt.  
"Ack! I'm sorry!" apologized a familiar voice. A large hand with a white rim came into view. The rim seemed to be part of a coat. Sakura's gaze went up the hand, to the arm, and then to the face. It was unmistakably Tim's face, and he hand a worried, exhausted look on his face. Both of their faces automatically turned crimson when there gazes connected.  
"O-oh! Tim! No, no, I wasn't looking!..." Sakura stammered, taking his outstretched hand as he helped lift her up.  
"No, of course not. It was all my fault..." Tim worried, humiliated of how he plowed her to the ground carelessly.  
"It's all right, I'm fine..." Sakura smiled, loving the feeling of Tim's gentle, warm hand. As the two talked awkwardly about who was more at fault, a hidden figure watched them from the bushes. The figure wore a nurse's dress and had a cute bulbous haircut. The figure, obviously female, gritted her teeth as her eyes shined. She got up from her post behind a cherry blossom tree and quietly walked away, suffering the day's defeat.  
"So, Sakura..." Tim stammered, trying to think of something to say, though he was to shy to do anything but stand there. Sakura smiled up at him, remembering the yesterday when he held her at the mountain peak.  
"When can I take you up on your herb-picking offer?" she asked.  
"Oh, that's right. Um...how does tomorrow sound? People are getting ready for the Festival, so we shouldn't have any problems pillaging the local herb spots without running into other herb-pickers," he decided. Sakura squinted, a sharp pain stabbing her as she remembered the Festival. Tim looked at her surprised and worried, angry at himself. His face displayed a "Oh crap! I already screwed up! I hurt her feelings, I hurt her feelings!" sort of look. Sakura laughed at his antics and changed the subject.  
"Why are you in the Square? Are you meeting someone?" she asked curiously. Tim sighed gratefully and shook his head.  
"Er, no. I, um...uh...was just taking a walk..." Tim stammered, searching for a plausible excuse for the suspicious behavior but falling short. Sakura grinned, having an idea of what he was doing.  
"Oh, okay then. You enjoy that walk now," she pointed to him and winked, obviously not beleving it as she walked off, making funny giggling sounds. When she presumed to be out of sight, she quickly jumped behind a trash can. Peering over the side, she saw Tim hunched over the table, writing a vote on a ballot. He hastily put it in the wooden box and walked away quickly. The pretty trashcan dweller squealed with happiness, rocking back and forth ecstatically.  
"Uh...Sakura? Is that you?" said a girl's voice. Sakura froze, and turned around to find Ann towering above her.  
"Eek! Oh, crap!" Sakura thought. She hastily got up, brushing off dirt specks from her dress. "Um...uh...I was..." she stammered, feeling a lot like Tim a few minutes ago.  
"Were you checking out the Doctor? That's so cute!" she grinned, laughing.  
"N-n-no! Of course not! Why would I do that? That's so funny! Ha ha ha ha hee hee hee heh..." she placed her hand over her mouth, forcing out lame laughs. Ann stood with her hands on her hips, her grin as mischievous as ever. Sakura's delicate face turned red as she stopped laughed. "O-Okay! I have to go! Nice seeing you, Ann!" she waved goodbye before running off, her gold hair and dress swooshing back and forth.  
"The Doctor almost never speaks. From what I heard, his wife died, and he hasn't been able to recover from her death...But if anyone can change him, Sakura can..." Ann talked aloud to herself as she watched Sakura's distant form as it disappeared. "Ack! Why am I talking to myself?! I'm so weird!" Ann's eyes bugged out as she scurried off to the Inn. 


	5. Sakura's First Pizza Party

Sakura's Dream  
  
Chapter 5 Sakura's First Pizza Party  
  
The reddish backdoor opened as Sakura entered her house happily after she had ran into Tim in the Square. The house was part of the Twin Lilies shop. The front door led customers into the shop itself, and the backdoor in their backyard was what Sakura, Haruna, and Ryo entered to get inside their house. A middle door on the inside connected the two, and this is where the family would enter through to greet eager customers. As Sakura entered she immediately noticed that the house was silent. No squeals or exclamations from her goofy parents filled the comfy residence as she slipped off her shoes and padded along the wood floor into the kitchen.  
"Neither is here? That's odd..." the lone girl thought. Suddenly, she noticed a pink sticky note stuck to the refrigerator. Sakura walked over to it and read the fancy handwriting of her mother:  
  
Sakura – Your father and I were invited to an adults-only dinner party with the Mayor and his wife. We will probably be back around midnight, so order a pizza for yourself. All my love, Mom.  
  
"So they just leave me here? Loving parents..." Sakura rolled her eyes, taking the twenty dollar bill for the pizza which was attached to the note. She sat down at a stool and propped her arms up on the kitchen counter, looking out the window at the huge surrounding Green Mountain range. "I think the Ann's Inn makes pizzas...I'll have to stop by there," Sakura thought blankly. "Gee...eating a pizza by myself. That sounds lonely. Oh, maybe I could invite Popuri and some of the other girls over?" she said aloud, a excited smile coming over her face. She looked up at the clock, which read 5:02. "Okay, I have enough time to have a little pizza party/get- together before mom and dad get home. Hm...lets see...Popuri, Elli, Ann, Mary, and Shellie. Not Karen, of course," Sakura decided, thinking back a few days when she saw Karen throwing up on her boyfriend Rick after drinking seven glasses of rum. She jumped off the stool and ran to the cordless phone. Her first call was the Inn.  
"Hi...Inn...here. What...get...you...?" gurgled a slurred, drunken voice.  
"Er...is this Ann?" Sakura asked confused.  
"Karen! What are you doing! Get off the line!" screamed another voice on the other line which sounded like Ann's.  
"Gugghh...la...la...uuhhh...PLOUGHhhh..." the drunken voice groaned.  
"EEEEEW! GROSS!" shrieked the voice that sounded like Ann's. A few minutes of silence followed, and then the voice that sounded like Ann's came on. She sounded very stressed and a bit shaken.  
"Hello, this is the Inn. What can I do for you?"  
"Ann? Is this you?"  
"O-Oh! Sakura! Karen was as drunk as a doornail and was the one who picked up the phone."  
"Oh, okay. But why were you screaming?" Sakura asked. There was an awkward pause before Ann answered.  
"When I screamed at Karen and told her to get off the line, she fell off her chair and started throwing up all over the floor," Ann muttered, still grossed out.  
"Ew! That's disgusting!" Sakura gasped, grossed out and glad she decided not to have invited Karen over.  
"Yeah, I know. Anyway, what can I get you?" sighed the waitress.  
"Oh, yeah. I'd like to order one cheese pizza for pickup, please. Also, I was wondering if you'd life to come over to my house tonight. I was thinking of inviting Popuri, Elli, Mary, Shellie, and you," explained Sakura.  
"Oh, sorry, but I don't think Dad'll let me off early tonight. With both of us doing it, it'll still take a few hours getting the smell of vomit out of the floorboards. And OK, your pizza will be ready in a half hour," Ann told her, sounding quite disappointed. After hanging up with Ann Sakura called Popuri, Elli, Mary and Shellie. Mary had to go to a special church sermon that she was scheduled to provide music for, being a trained organist, but the others all agreed to coming. Before she picked up the pizza Sakura stopped by Popuri's house. Together, the two best friends headed for the Inn. Screams and shouts could be heard from outside as they walked up the friendly cobblestone pathway.  
"Huh? I wonder what all the uproar is about?" Popuri asked, not expecting any answer. Sakura shuddered, having a vague idea of who everyone was yelling at. She soon found out she was right as the two entered. The first thing they saw was the immediate sight of drunken Karen. She was lying on the floor amidst a clump of tables, throwing up continuously. The smell of vomit had filled the room as the two girls watched horrified. Rick was kneeling down next to her, obviously grossed out at the throw up that covered her face. Other bar-goers were yelling angrily at how stupid she was to drink so much. Ann hastily rushed over to them and quickly gave them Sakura's pizza, took the twenty dollar bill, and ran off, quickly muttering "Have a good day," with the little breathe that she had left. Sakura and Popuri exchanged worried glances before leaving. Back outside, cool night air rushed to greet them as a cricket chirped happily. Sakura looked down at the pizza box, which radiated warmly. From the streetlights light outside the Inn she could see the box read "Inn Pizza! For a good meal and clean atmosphere." Sakura couldn't help from laughing at the box's claim.  
"What's so funny?" Popuri asked, clutching her stomach and feeling as if she herself might barf. Sakura looked over at her and smiled, pointing to the false claim of the box.  
"Well, it says 'For a good meal and clean atmosphere' on the box, but I didn't think the atmosphere was that clean, personally," Sakura grinned slyly. Popuri giggled at her sarcastic comment.  
"I can't quite put my finger on it, but something was a bit...unclean," backed up Popuri as they both laughed at the "clean" pool of vomit on the floor and in the cracks of the wooden paneling. After returning home the two girls placed the pizza on the counter and opened the cardboard box. Immediately following the revealing of its contents, warmth wafted from the delicious object. Both girls drooled as they took out plates and utensils enthusiastically.  
"So, who are you inviting over for pizza besides me?" asked Popuri, setting down a plate at the table.  
"Um...Shellie and Elli. Mary and Ann were both no-shows," Sakura told her, arranging a napkin fancifully. Popuri's jaw dropped in unison with the spoon she was holding.  
"You invited ELLI? Are you INSANE?! She's your RIVAL!" Popuri exclaimed. Sakura rolled her eyes.  
"You can be such a drama queen sometimes," she commented, walking over to her and picking up the wounded piece of silverware.  
"But...but...you both like the same guy!" Popuri stammered, confused.  
"I know, but still, I'd like it if we could at least be friends. And who knows, maybe she really likes someone else instead?" Sakura shrugged.  
"Wishful thinking," her friend sung sarcastically, dodging a spoon thrown at her in response. After arranging the plates and silverware the girls only had to wait a few more minutes before the guests arrived. Knock! Knock! Both hostesses rose at the knocking of the doors. Sakura left the kitchen and walked down the hallway, reaching the door and opening it. Both Shellie and Elli stood there excitedly, chatting among themselves.  
"Hi guys! Welcome, welcome!" Sakura greeted, opening the door and motioning for them both to come in.  
"Yeah, welcome is right! We've had to stand out here forever!" Shellie joked heartily. Elli blushed and smiled sweetly.  
"You guys live in such a cute house. I never knew the Twin Lilies was so big in the back," she commented good naturedly, entering behind Shellie.  
  
"We have some yummy Inn pizza and a six pack of soda," Sakura told the hungry guests as she led them down the hallway and into the kitchen. Popuri was standing at the oak table. She smiled nervously, waiting for Sakura and Elli to rip each other apart. Actually, she was surprised they were both still perfectly intact.  
"O-Oh! W-Welcome Shellie, Elli," Popuri smiled, nodding to both of them in order.  
"That rhymes," Elli commented, laughing. All the other girls giggled at her silly joke as they all sat down at the table. Sakura and Elli sat at the head (their gazes connected quite uncomfortably), and Popuri and Shellie each sat at their sides.  
"Yum!" exclaimed Shellie as she took a bit of the soft cheese pizza.  
"This stuff is great! I've always admired Doug's cooking skills," Elli confessed as she washed down a huge bit of pizza with gulps of Coke. Sakura and Popuri both glanced at each other and exchanged giggles. "W- What's so funny?" asked Elli nervously.  
"Should we tell them?" asked Popuri.  
"Yeah, it's too funny for just the two of us," Sakura said with a little 'tee hee.'  
"Okay, I will," Popuri nodded in agreement. She sighed, took a sip of Coke, and began telling the guests about their journey of getting the pizza, Karen, and the barf that covered the Inn's floor. When she was done both guests burst out laughing.  
"Ewww!!" squealed Elli.  
"Nasty!" laughed Shellie.  
"I know! I'm glad you didn't invite Karen, Sakura. She would have started gulping down one of your parent's Chardonnay and end up dying of alcohol poisoning," Popuri confessed, rolling her eyes. They all agreed as they continued the dinner happily, chatting on about the Goddess Festival, the Mayor/Demon Hat's freakishly small stature, and relationship gossip. They even laughed when someone else laughed, and after dinner everyone were in very good-natured moods.  
"Oh...that was just too funny..." Elli commented on a previous joke, her face hurting from smiling so much. Sakura looked across the table at Elli. She was happy to have spent some time with her, and not just have blown her off as Popuri had suggested.  
"She really is sweet..." Sakura smiled softly to herself. It was a bittersweet smile, however, because she knew that it would be difficult for them to become truly good friends, what with both vying for Tim's affections. Popuri noticed Sakura's brief moment of apathy while Shellie and Elli joked quietly. She tried to smile at her stressed friend, but in the end her smile appeared as a distorted half smile-half frown.  
"O-Oh...I feel like I'm pregnant..." Elli rubbed her tummy, which seemed a bit bigger. Shellie grinned, rubbing her's.  
"Cliff'll make fun of me now that I gained some weight," Shellie grinned pleasantly. After a bit more chatting the now-huge Elli and Shellie smiled and decided to leave. Sakura and Popuri both saw them off at the door, then returned to the kitchen. The clock read 11:45.  
"Wow...they were here for almost five hours," Popuri said with a little amazement. Sakura beamed at Popuri mischievously, her hands on her hips.  
"Now WHO said that we all couldn't have fun, Popuri?" she interrogated, her long blond hair dangling against her behind. Popuri's brow lowered.  
"You were right..." she pouted childishly. Sakura smiled, pleased with herself. Once they had cleaned up the dinner mess, Popuri thanked Sakura and said goodbye before leaving for back home. Now alone, Sakura turned off the kitchen light and went into the hallway, walked up the wood stairs, and entered her room. The lone hostess fell onto her bed, exhausted yet content.  
"I got to see Tim today, I had pizza with my friends, I made neutral ground with Elli..." Sakura sighed to herself, looking up to the ceiling. "...and I have an herb-picking date with Tim tomorrow..." she yawned softly before dozing into a deep and peaceful sleep. 


End file.
